Swimming practice apparatus



Jan. 13, 1948. J. N. BORROUGHS 2,434,543

SWIMMING PRACTICE APPARATUS Filed April 18, 1945 INVENTOR JOSEPH N. sonaoueus TTORNEY Patented Jan. 13, 1948 UNEE ST SWIMMING PRACTICE APPARATUS Joseph N. Burroughs, Piedmont, Calif.

Application April 18, 1945, Serial No. 588,966

3 Claims.

This invention has for its object the provision of a device in the form of what be termed a harness, by means of which a beginner in the art of swimming may learn and practice various swimming strokes, and arm and leg movements generally, while in a swimming position in the water, without the necessity of the student also having to work at the same time to keep himself afloat.

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the harness and its supporting member as mounted in position and supporting a swimmer in a swimming pool or tank.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the body supporting portion of the harness, in one position.

Fig. 3 is a similar view but with said harness portion inverted.

Fig. 4 is a front view showing the waist engaging belt as slack or unfastened.

Fig. 5 is a front view of the helmet for the swimmer.

Referring to the characters of reference on the drawings, the device comprises a support, indicated generally at I. This is in the general form of a davit having an elongated overhang, and consists of an upstanding portion 2 merging into a substantially horizontal portion 3. Portion I is mounted at its base in a suitable socket 4 embedded in the rim 5 of a swimming pool so that portion 3 overhangs the pool.

The swimmer engaging harness, which is hung from the above described support, includes a helmet 6 to fit the head of the swimmer, and having a flexible neck engaging collar 1 and a window 8 thru which the eyes, nose and mouth of the swimmer are exposed. The helmet is hung from the member 3 intermediate its ends by a flexible link 9 having universal swivel connections, such as ball and socket joints ill with said member and the helmet. The length of the link relative to the level of the water in the pool is such that the helmet can be only partially immersed in the water. Another link H depends from the outer end of member 3 and on its lower end has detachable engagement with an eye l2 on which is hung a rigid ring t3, the diameter of which is considerably larger than that of the waist of a swimmer.

The ring may turn freely thru the eye throughout the circumference of the latter except at a certain point as at H! where the ring is depressed and is there permanently connected as at l5 to a flexible waist-engaging belt l6 substantially midway of the ends of the latter. The belt is provided with a suitable take-up buckle H.

In operation, the swimmer dons the harness while seated on the edge of the pool; first placing the helmet over his head, and then placing the initially detached ring I3 about his body so thathe may place and fasten the belt [6 about the waist. The swimmer then enters the pool (the water being an easy standing depth) and fastens the eye IE to link H (or said eye to the ring). The swimmer may then assume a swimming position, and may practice any desired strokes.

Owing to the use of the universal swivel connections between the helmet and support, and the fact that the ring I3, and the belt therein, may turn thru an arc of substantially the swimmer may at his option swim either on the stomach or the back. The ring bein considerably larger than the belt, the swimmer has the necessary amount of lateral movement at the hips without striking the ring.

As will be obvious, the device is simple, maybe manufactured inexpensively, and enables the swimmer to gain confidence while learning to swim.

I claim:

1. A device to facilitate practicing swimming strokes comprising a fixed substantially horizontal member adapted to be mounted to overhang a body of water, a rigid ring flexibly supported from and below the member so as to be under water, and of larger diameter than the waist of a swimmer, and a waist engaging belt within and connected at one point to the ring.

2. A device to facilitate practicing swimming strokes comprising a fixed substantially horizontal member adapted to be mounted to overhang a body of water, a rigid ring flexibly supported from and below the member so as to be under water, and of larger diameter than the waist of a swimmer, and a waist engaging belt within and connected at one point to the ring, with means connecting the ring to the member to allow of rotation of the ring in a vertical plane thru an arc of substantially 180.

3. A device to facilitate practice swimming, an overhead support, a rigid ring suspended from and rotatable with respect to said support, said ring of larger diameter than the waist of a swimmer, a waist engaging belt within and concentric with said ring, means on the ends of said belt for securing said ends together about the waist of the swimmer, and a connection between said belt intermediate its ends with said ring, said connection limiting the rotative movement of said ring.

JOSEPH N. BORROUGHS.

REFERENCES CITED FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Jan. 17, 1899 Number 

